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Vi 



SPEECH 



I HON. J. F. DOWDELL, OF ALA., 






DEMOCRATIC RATIFICATION MEETING 



CITY HALL, WASHINGTON, 



JUNE 18, 1856. 



['■1 

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WASHINGTON : 

PRINTED AT THE UiTIOX OI'FICE. 

1856. 



e 



SPEECH. 



^Nlr. DowDELL, of Alabama, being called for by lh(^ meeting for 
some minutes, came forward, and was received with shouts of greeting, 
and addressed the vast assemblage for some half an hour, amid re- 
peated bursts of enthusiasm. 

Hp said: I came not to speak, but to listen ; but, being appealed to 
as an Alabamian, to let the voice of Alabama be heard in thisratilica- 
t(,^ .1, I could not well resist; for, when my State came into this Union 
in IS 19, she took her stand by the side of the democratic party, and 
she has steadily held her position there, one of the brightest slars in 
the galaxy of "democratic States; and in November next, when you 
look "North, East, and West, and see other States true to the laws of 
their being, and siill others, for a time erratic, wheeling back into line, 
you will also find Alabama true to democratic principle, in her accus- 
tomed orbit, revolyng around the old constitution. Her sons have 
never yet faltered in a conflict; in this crisis they will be tbund stand- 
inff by the democratic flag. 

^t is a proud day ibr us that we have candidates in the field who 
represent a common sentiment that lies at the fijundation of our suc- 
cess as a people, and the perpetuity of our free institutions. There is 
no discord in our famil}' — no divisions of ranks — no disagreement in 
principle — no secrets to keep — nothing to hide from friend or em-my. 
Our creed is tor the public eye, lor the public good, and siiall it not meet 
public approbation V We have no compromises to make with erroi'. 
By the riol.t we intend to stand — in the line of truth and duty wee; nnot 
fall. Our platform is simple. He who runs may read and understand — 
equality between the sovereign States of this Union, andequally between 
all the citi/ as of the republic, native and adopted. The first pro- 
position antti^onizes the black repubhcan party, which seeks to impose 
odious restrictions upon new States applying for admission into the 
Union, and thus denying to the people the right of seli-gov(!rnment — 
the right to frame their own laws, to establish their own institutions, 
subject only to the common bond — a right which each colony fought 
Great Britain for infringing, which each State maintained whilst sepa- 
rate, and never gave up when entering the Union, but which all were 

careful to euard in framina: a common constitution — a right which we 

It 
intend each State now in the Union to keep, and every new one com- 
ing in to have. The second proposition antagonizes the know-nothing 
party, which seeks, b}'- secret combinations, oaths, and obligiiions, to 
impose unconstitutional restraints upon the native citizen, and to deny 
to those seeking to become ad >pted citizens, privileges which were 
guarantied to them by the fathers of the republic. Fellow citizens, 
you will agree with me, that an American fi-eeman needs no other obli- 
gations but the conviction of an honest judgment to properly exerci-e 
the right of suffrage in the choice of men for office, or measures for 



action — no bonds on conscience other than duty imposes. T.et the 
will be free ; Ift there be no tests among candidates which imphes ine- 
quality, and especially no test that discriminates between the rehgious 
sects of the coun'ry ; let the conditions of citizenship be as they have 
been from the commencement of th^ government; and, above all, 
counten ince no man or parly which proposes to make this or that rf4i- 
gious opinion a disqualification for -office. Tlius we stand: against 
the black republicans in behalf of Slate equality ; against know- 
nothingism in behalf of individual equality. We feel that the ground 
under us is firm, and we appeal to all the friends of constituiional 
libertv, whether among the old-line democrats, or the old-line wbigs, 
to stand with us. The country demands energy and unity of action 
among all her conservative sons in this crisis of her history. She de- 
mands that f)rm"r prejudices be given up, subordinate interests for a 
season neglected, and minor divisions abandoned, until these funda- 
mental principles be firmly established, and no enemy is left to attack 
them. 

It is for you and all of us to decide whether these great principles 
shall be maintained, under whose beneficent influence we have attained 
our greatness, and glory, and prosperity beyond anj' other people on 
earth; or whether they shall go down in the middle of the nineteenth 
century in d irkness and night — at a. time when we had become the 
hope of the na lions, and, like the sun in heaven, dispensing light, ancf 
life, a.nd blessedtiess, not only upon our own favored land, but upon 
the far-off regions of the Old World, encouraging the hopes and cheer- 
ing the hearts of the down-trodden and oppressed; wdiether the lover 
of liberty in other lands shall still hope on, or his tyrant, whose grasp 
is fast relaxing under the influence of our example, be permitted to 
chuckle over our follies and exult over the downfall of repubHcan in- 
stitution^. 

It will be a bad day for us w^hen faction shall seize the reins of pow'sr 
and ride over the liberties of the people. To-niglit I pledge you, one 
to another, thai the combined allies o( know-nothingir-m an.i black re- 
publicanism shall fall before the Sebastopol of democracy, [cheers:] 
for I tell 3^ou thai in this great republic of ours there is a conservative 
spirit amonirst the masses which will stand by the Union of the 
country. They will stand by northern rights, by southern rights, by 
eastern.rights, and by western rights. 'I'hey will stand by consiMiUional 
rights, and we, who have enjoyed the fruits of these great principles, 
will transmit them to our children. 

The present race ibr the presidency will be a remarkable one in our 
history, and were it not fir the large preponderance of the democratic 
party, d most fearful one for our institutions. Who would not shudder 
for the safety of the republic under the control of either of our antag- 
onists? Let no man be indifTcreut and IbUl his arms m false securit3^ 
N()tVv'ithst;inding our present strength, a sleepless vigilance is de- 
m Hided, that our enemies come not while we sleep and sow tares 
ainong us. By the success of know-nothingism the long- established 
policy of our government towards foreign patriots ^^■ho desire to be- 
come citizens will be changed ; and what new policy they may initiate 
more odious and detrimental, is known only to the initiated. We are 



not permittod to know what they do, or may do, in their secret councils. 
In some places the}'' profess to have removed the injunction of secre- 
cy — to have drawn aside the veil, and puhli.^hed their p!atf)rin of prin- 
ciples. Perhap? the principles are all out, and the ritual of ceremo- 
nies only now remain concealed. Be this as it may, the public judg- 
ment will not be reversed. The dangerous tendency of this institution 
was never entirely hidden from the sagacious patriot. Their first 
attempts, in their earlier meetings, to avoid discovery, were often ludi- 
crous. The}'- remind me much of the drunken husband, who tried to 
hide his intemperate habits from his suspecting wife. Mr. Johnsing, 
who loved his dram, when indulgmg always staid out late at night, so 
that nis wife might be asleep when he went home, and thus avoid de- 
tection. (Did our know-nothing friends meet late at night for a like 
reason?) One night, unfortunately lor him, when he came home her 
eyes were closed, but she was not fiist asleep. He crept cjuletly to 
bed, but to be doubly safe, he turned his lace to the wall, that she 
might not, if perchance awake, smell the whiskey in his breath. Just 
then, when he felt most secure, she sang out, "Mr. Johnsing, you 
needn't turn your nose to the wall to hide your whiskey breath, for 
you are drunk clear through." [Roars of laughter.] Let our know- 
nothing friends profit b\^ the story; for democracy, with all the shrewd- 
ness of the woman, is wide awake, and she will sing out, when you 
imagine yourself most secure, "Sam! Sam! you needn't turn your 
face away from us to hide your bad habits, for you are wrong clear 
through." [Laughter and cheers.] 

Yes, telle w -citizens, it would be happy for us, and happy f<)r the 
country, if the weakness of this party would permit us to illustrate its 
position by a jesi; but weak as it is in numbers, the poliiical heresy 
is generally diffused among the people, and the dangerous doctrines held 
by them demand a grave con.-ideraiion. It is a^ matter of no- small 
monjent, cither in political or moral lesults, whether I he door to citi- 
zenship shall be practically closed against our neighbors in the Old 
World. The effect upon us at home, and the popularity of our republic 
abroad, should be seriously considered. We already have the enmity 
of the crowned heads of Europe. Shall we lose the sympathy of the 
masses of their subjects — that most salutary check uf)on despotic 
diplomacy and tyranniv^alinterlerence — that silent power that holds the 
kingly arm, and thwarts the combinations of despotism against free 
government? Who doubts that our constitution is read and admired, 
our nation'^1 airs sung, by thousands in the l^ld World? And who be- 
lieves that when these suflering sons of toil, b}' self-denial and frugality, 
save enough to bring them across the ocean, and the}^ come among us, 
swearing allegiance to this government and fidelity to our constitution, 
that they will prove faithless to the land of their choice? It cannot be; 
it has not been; the charge is groundless; the history of the past 
refutes it. 

There is no necessity for proscribing the foreign-born citizen. There 
is n) moral or political reason which will jastity it. It is a cold and 
seltish policy, at war with the spirit of the age and the large liberality 
of a Christian people. And this f-'ature in the know-nothing party has 
more than once reminded me of the priest and Levite in that beautiful 



parable of our Saviour, given in answer to the question by the lawyer, 
"And who is my neighbor?" Both of these, who should have com- 
miserated his condition, when they saw him who had fallen amono- 
thieves lying naked, and wounded, and half dead, passed by 0!i the oihei 
side; but a certain Samaritan, "when he saw him, he had compassion, 
on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pourhig in oil and 
wine, and set him on liis own beast, and brought him to an inn, and 
Took care of him. Shall I ask you which of these three was neighbor 
unto him that fell among thieves?" My friends, Americans who want _ 
To rule America may imitate the priest and Levite in the parable, but 
it shall be the glory of the democracy to follow the example of the 
good Samaritan, and when there comes on board our ships the generous- 
heated stranger, "stripped and wounded" by robber kings and thieving^ 
despots, take him by the hand, bind up his wounds, and welcome, 
him to the enjoyment of that liberty which his fathers helped us achieve.^ 
He will reward us by his skill and industry, and God will bless us in ^ 
the deed. Yes, sirs, whilst giving all the consideration due to the senti- , 
ment of our opponents, "that Americans m.ust rule America," we will not .^ 
lose sight of that other sentiment, dear to every American l.osom — that „ 
higher, purer, nobler feeling which wells up fiom the Christian heart — ;" 
"i was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye 
gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye . 
clothed me: 1 was sick, and 3'e visited me: I was in prison, and ye ■ 
came unto me." Nor shall we ever forget, I trust, the application 
made by our Saviour — "Inasmuh as ye have done it unto one of the. 
Icist of these my children, ye have done it unto me." We, who are 
thus taught to be kind and gentle to the stranger, will never turn away 
irom our hospitable shores the descendants of the brave heroes 
who were the friends and cornpanions of our fathers in the war of in- 
dependence. They are our kinsmen and In-others by a nearer title 
than blood, and when they come they shall share our altars and our 
firesides, and be one with us in the great fimiiy of American freemen. 
[Applause.] A thoughtless, cold, and selfish party may scorn the 
sentiment, and strike down those who hold it, like the foolish Jews did 
its great Author; but they, like him, will rise again. The sentiment is 
truth — it cannot be crushed down. Let me say furtlier, that wdiilst 
Americans continue to rule America, as tliey have from the beginning, 
they will be true to the history of the past — the memory of the foundeis 
of the repubhc ; true to the honor of their present proud position ; true to 
the demands of an advancing civilization ; true to themselves in vindi- 
cating the great democratic principle— equality between all the citizens 
of the republic, native and adopted. I will d wellno longer on this point : 
the people have spoken, and tliis party, with its hundred platibrms, 
has been repudiated. 

But, fellow-citizens, the democracy finds a more terrible enemy in 
that other faction, which comes from the North, maddened with fanatic 
zeal, with disunion written on its forehead. It proposes to destroy the 
equality of these States, and threatens to deva^ate the South with lire 
and sword. It is purely sectional. It expects no southern vote, but 
demands a surrender of all her rights. Prostituting the sanctuary of 
religion to the base uses of inglorious civil war, its'inHdel Ibotstep is 



treading down the rights of American citizens in the common territory 
1^' our Union. Now let me say to the patriotic and conservative men 
r/f the North — to those who love their country, their wh(^!e country — it 
13 your duty, j-alher let me say your privilege, to rise up as one man 
and crush out this dangerous I'anaticism, and defend the rights of your 
southern brethren against its treasonable designs. When the rights of 
the f()reign-born and the Catholic citizens were invaded, the generous 
South, led on by the glorious old commonwealth, threw herself in the 
breach, and drove back the eneirry. Although there were but lew 
Catholics in our midst — although the tide of emigration was to the 
North, and but few of the adopted citizens dwelt among us — still, true 
..) the right, our people stood by the constitution. I believe that you, too, 
^vill defend the right; that 3'OU will aid us in maintaining the equality 
of these States. The democratic party have written it down in then- 
reed ; they have illustrated it by the noble patriots they have given us 
m the councils of the nation ; they have said it by their votes in Con- 
gress ; they pronounced it in Cincinnati, when the patriot stateman of 
the old Ke^'-stone and the gallant young Kentuckian were chosen as 
our standard-bearers, and it will be ratiried in November next by their 
triumphant election. The old-line whigs and the old-line democrats, 
young America and old America, will be found shoulder to shoulder in 
this second war of independence. We shall triumph. Democracy 
aroused and united were never defeated. In former contests we fought 
for this or that measure as a better policy for our economic interests. 
In this contest we fight for our existence as a free people — we fight to 
preserve a constitutional Union. And I tell you here to-night, there 
will be consternation among our enemies, " a running to and Iro in hot 
haste," when they behold the people rising in thmr majesty ; for the 
conservative masses of this Union will come upon them — 

"As the winds come when forests are rended, 
As the waves come when navies are stranded" — 

" nd 'prostrate their proud and wicked ranks in the dust. 



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